Phonograph disk record dispensing machine



July 25, 1950 G. w. zlEGLER 2,516,823

PHONOGRAPH DISK RECORD DISPENSING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 H7 TafNEYS,

July 25, 1950 G. w. zlEGLER 2,516,823

Y PHoNoGRAPH DISK RECORD DISPENSING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR.

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BY Wvw July 25, 1950 G. w. zlEGLER 2,516,823

PHONGRAPH DISK RECORD DISPENSING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1946 5 Shees-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

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July 25, 1950 G. w. ZIEGLER 42,516,823

PHONOGRAPH DISK RECORD DISPENSING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1946 l 5 Sheets-SheeI 4 July 25, 1950 G. w. ziEGLER 2,516,823

PHoNoGRAPH DISK RECORD DISPENSING MACHINE Filed June 2l, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented .uy 25, 1950 PHONOGRAPH DISK RECGRDI'DISPEN SING MACHINE George W. Ziegler, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Jerome V. Kelly, Detroit, Mich.

Application JuneZl, 1946, Serial N o. 658,315

The present invention relates to a coin controlied machine-for dispensing phonograph disk recordsor similarly'shaped flat articles, whether circular-or square in outline.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a machine of the type mentionedinwhich the articles. are dispensed from the machine by power operatedL means under the influence of a coin responsive. mechanism.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide amachine of thetype mentioned capable of dispensing a disk from any one of a plurality of reservoirs; each.y containing a plurality of disks, and which the'reservoir from which an article isto be. dispensed is.y determined by manual operation of a selector` mechanism.

Anotherobject of the present invention is to provide an` improvedpower operated means incorporating a simple and practical mechanism for selectively driving' any one oi"4 a plurality of devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved. means for supporting a stack of flat articles inl such a manner as to facilitatedischarge of oneof` the articles fromthe stack at a time;

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic. control means for a machineof the type described including, among other features, a mechanism for returning any coin or coins deposited in the machine when the operator has selected for discharge an empty reservoir.

Other objects and advantages of the mechanism will become apparent from ther following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings:v

Figure 1 is afront View of the machine;

Figure 2 is a vertical, fragmentary, sectional view. taken in part through the center line of the machine;

Figure 3 is av fragmentary, sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2-;

Figure 4 is` a. fragmentary, sectional View similar toI Figure 2 but showing the par-ts in a diierent position;

Figure 5 ist a fragmentary, horizontal section takenon the line 5 5' of Figure 2;

Figure isa small scale, front elevation of the machine;

Figure 7 is adiagrammatic wiring diagramv for the mechanism;A and Figure 8 is a moreor less diagrammatic View showing the. type of coin return and actuating mechanism employed in the preferredv form of the invention.

s claims. (o1. 31acsi Asbestshown in Figures 1Y and 6, the machine fcomprises a sheetmetal casing I, which may be of any desired form; The irontl wall. 2.. ofv the. casing isprovided with four slots, indicated` by the numerals 3, 4, 5 and, through which articles may be discharged. Above each of the discharge slots is an opening in which may be ttedplacards l, 9' and IU, respectively, designating the character ofr the articles which will-be discharged fromthe associated slots. In the case of. phonograph discY records, the placards could, for example, indicate the title. of the composition, the,

name of the composer andthe artistor organization who made the recording. The front of the. machine is also provided withV a coin deposit slot II and acoin, return slot I2.. A selector knob I3 is likewise positioned on the front face of the machine and adapted to be rotated to any one of four positions. to select the desired article for discharge .from the" machine.

The casing l includes an imperforate bottom wall lli which, as best shown in Figure 2, supports a sheet metal. column, indicated generally at I5. The column I5 is+square in horizontal cross section and consists of four vertically extending Walls I6, I', I8,I and I9. The Wall I9 is provided with. four horizontal slots 20,one of which appea-rs near the top of the column I5 in Figure 2. A shelf 2| of approximately thesame peripheral contour asthe cross section of the column I5 is located inthe plane of each of the slots 2i). The shelves 24. have. laterally projecting. edge portions, one of which projects through.theadjacent` slot 25. in wall I8,.as indicated at` 22 in Figure l, and is received within a channel-shaped bracket 23 secured to the side wall I9. of the column I5..

through whichthe-column I5 may be loaded with articles such as phonograph disk records. The frontwall I6 of thev vertical column I5 is provided with a plurality of slots 25, one aligned. with each ofthe shelves 2-I. The openings 25 are aligned with the openings 3, 4, 5 and 6 in the frontA wall 2 ofthe outerv casing and serve as dischargeslots for the uppermost article or disk from a stack of vdisks which is held in contact with the lower surface of each of the shelves ZI.,

s best shown in Figure 2 in connection with the uppermost shelf 2|, a stack of disks 26 is supported upon a vertically movable shelf 21, which is urged upwardly by a plurality of springs 28 in such a manner as to hold the uppermost disk of the stack in contact with the under surface of the shelf 2|. The lower ends of the springs 28 rest upon shelves 29, the peripheral flange 30 of which is iixed to the side walls of the column l5.

Each shelf 2| is slidable fore and aft in the channel-shaped brackets 23 and 25 and is normally urged rearwardly by a plurality of springs 3|, the rearward ends of which are fitted within tubes 32 carried by brackets 33 fixed to the shelf 2|. The forward ends of springs 3| are fitted within tubes 34 carried by a channelshaped member 35, which extends between and is connected to the side walls |1 and I9 of the vertical-column |5. Rearward movement of each shelf under the influence of springs 3| is limited by engagement of an angle iron member 35, which is fixed to the shelf with the forward edge of the channel 35, as best shown in Figure 2.

Each of the shelves, at the central portion of its rear edge, has a rearward projection 31 to which is xed a pusher block 3'B. Each of the pusher blocks'38 extends below the plane of the under surface'of its associated shelf 2| by an amount slightly less than the thickness of the articles or disks which are'to be discharged from the machine. Consequently, on forward movement of a pusher and its associated shelf 2 I, the uppermost disk in the stack will be advanced and discharged through the aligned openings in the walls 2 and i6.

The openings 3, 4, 5 and B in the front wall 2 of the outer casing are normally closed by means of vertically slidable shutters. Thus, as best shown in Figure 2, the opening 3 is normally closed by a shutter 39 which, as indicated in Figure 5, is guided at its side edges by guide brackets 40. At the right-hand end of the Shutter 39 is fixed a pair of oppositely positioned angle brackets 4| and 42 through which projects a pin 43. A bell crank lever 44, pivoted on a rivet 45 carried by the side wall |1 of the vertical column, projects between the brackets 4| and 42 and is provided with an elongated slot 46, which receives the pin 43. The bell crank lever 44 has a vertically downwardly extending leg which projects through a suitable slot in that portion of the shelf 2| which projects outwardly beyond the wall l1. A similar arrangement of brackets and bell cranks is provided at the left-hand end of each shutter. As a result of this construction, when one of the shelves is advanced forwardly, the bell crank levers associated therewith are rotated in a clockwise direction into the position shown in Figure 4, in which they elevate the shutter 39 and thus expose the opening in the front wall 2 of the casing. At the same time, the pusher 38 advances the uppermost disk in the stack and projects it through the opening in the front wall f the housing a sufcient distance to permit the person operating the machine to grasp the disk and withdraw it from the machine.

A power operated means for selectively advancing one of the pushers 38 is provided, as best shown in Figures l and 2. This mechanism includes a tubular shaft 41, which is journaled adjacent its upper end for rotation and axial recipro- Vcation in a bearing 48 carried by a support 49 pusher 33 at a time.

housing I. The lower end of the tubular shaft is journaled on a cylindrical plug which fits within the tubular shaft and is fixed to a supporting plate 52 which is secured to the bottom wall I4 of the main housing. A second cylindrical plug 53 is xed within the tubular shaft 41 intermediate its ends and' serves as an abutment for the upper endof a spring 54.l The lower end of the spring seats on a. ball thrust bearing 55, which rests on the upper end of the plug 5|. As a result of this construction, the spring 54 tends to elevate the shaft 41. However, the strength of this spring is so selected that in no case does it exert sufficient force to support all of the weight of the shaft and associated mechanism. The function 0f the spring is, therefore, to act as a counterbalance which partially supports the shaft.

A plurality of eccentric cams 5S is fixed to the shaft 41 in spaced relation, the spaces between the cams being equal but slightly greater than the spaces between the pushers 38. As a result of this construction, only onevcam can be positioned in operative relation with respect to its associated When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2, the uppermost cam is in a position to operate the uppermost pusher 33. On elevation of the shaft 41, the next lower cam will be brought into position to operate the next fr; pusher 38, and, on further elevation, a third cam will be placed in position to operate the third pusher, etc.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, four disk reservoirs are provided.

r Consequently, the machine includes four pushers one of the four pushers.

and four pusher operating cams 56. The manually operated selector knob |3is connected to a suitable mechanism effective to .adjust the shaft 41 vertically and thus position it to operate any Thus, the knob |3 is xed to a shaft 51, which is journaled in the front and back walls of the casing and carries an irregularly shaped cam 58, the form of which is best illustrated in Figure l. As there shown, the cam 58 is provided with four notches 59, 50, 5i and E2, each positioned at a progressively greater distance from the axis of shaft 51 than the precedingnotch and each adapted to receive a roller 53 carried by the upper end of a yoke 54, which is rotatably secured to the upper end of the shaft 41 by means of a ball thrust bearing 65 in such a manner that on elevation of the yoke the shaft will be lifted.

It will be observed fromFigure 1 that the shape of the cam 58 is such that it cannot be rotated in a counterclockwise direction beyond the position in which the roller is received in notch 59, or in a clockwise direction beyond the position in which the roller is received in notch 62. Moreover, the

cam is so formed that the roller -63 vcannot dwell intermediate t-he notches 59, 60, 6| 'and 52; it must at all times come tn rest in one of the notches. Consequently,^shaft 41 will always bein position to operate one of the four pushers.

Y and 88 carried by a plate 6.9 fixed to the rear wall which extends between and is fastened to the ver- A 50 of the housing. An axially extending key 10 is xed to the Shaft 41 and fits Within a suitable keyway within the hubs B5 and 65 of the pulley 64 in order to effect adriving connection between the pulley and the shaft. As a result of this construction, the pulley may drive the shaft, regardhave elevated the operating arm in a directio to close the limit switch |08. The supporting plates in each of the four reservoirs of the machine are provided with similar bent-up tabs I2, which operate the respective limit switches |01, |08, |09 and H0.

As a result of this construction, it will be apparent that if the selector knob is adjusted to a position corresponding to a reservoir which contains no disks, it will close a circuit through one of the lines |93, |04, or |96 and thereby energize the coin return solenoid 84.

If desired, the machine may also be equipped with indicating lights, which are located in proximity to the several discharge reservoirs and which are illuminated selectively in response to the position of the selector knob I3. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, four lamps |l3, H4, H5 and H5 are provided, which may be located in the positions shown in Figure 6 and which will be illuminated when the selector knob is adjusted to the associated reservoir.

The operation of the machine is as follows. In Figures 1 through 7, the parts are shown in the position they assume when the selector knob |3 has been turned to a position corresponding to that of the uppermost reservoir and that reservoir contains a stack of disks. Under these circumstances, the bracket 8| in Figure 8 will be shifted to the right from the position there shown, thereby aligning chutes 19, 82 and 86 by reason of the fact that the limit switch |01 associated with the uppermost reservoir is open and, therefore, the coin return solenoid 84 is de-energized. Upon deposit of a coin in the slot l, it will pass through the slug rejector and thence through chutes 19, 82 and 86 and effect a momentary closure of switch 18. This energizes the relay 11 which, by reason of the closure of its contact 89, establishes a holding circuit through line 9| and switch 95 which maintains the relay energized after switch 18 re-opens. Energization of relay 'i also closes the relay contact 90, thereby energizing motor 94 and eiecting rotation of the shaft 41 and actuation of the pusher 38 by cam 5E. This pushes the uppermost disk from the stack in the upper reservoir, in the manner previously described.

As soon as shaft 41 starts rotating, cam rib 91 leaves switch 96, thereby closing a circuit through line 93 to the motor 94. At that instant, two complete circuits are available to supply current to the motor and, consequently, no change in the operation of the mechanism occurs. As soon as the cam rib engages switch 95, it opens the holding circuit 9| to the relay 91. This de-energizes the relay and opens both of the relay contacts 89 and 9U. Opening of contact 99 breaks the circuit through line 92, but the motor remains energized through line 93 and, consequently, continues to operate unaffected by the de-energization of relay 11. On completion of one revolution of shaft 41, the cam rib 91 re-engages and opens switch 96, thereby breaking the circuit to the motor 94 and restoring the parts to the position shown in Figure 7. This stops the operation of the mechanism with the parts in the starting position illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive.

The operation on selection of other reservoirs for discharge is the same except that the position of the selector knob i3 is changed as desired.

In the event that a selected reservoir is empty, the selector switch 98 will energize the coin return solenoid 84, thereby shifting the coin return mechanism to the Position shown in Figure 8, 4iu

which position the coin is returned to th coin return pocket l2 without having an opportunity to engage the starting switch 18.

The particular form of coin controlled mechanism illustrated more or less diagrammatically in Figure 8 is constructed for use with a machine adapted tc operate upon insertion of a single coin. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, however, that multiple coin controlled mechanisms may be employed in lieu of the type illustrated. In that case, the pivoted closure plate 81 and its associated switch 18 will be replaced by a coin accumulator device of conventional construction which will effect a closure of a corresponding switch when a plurality of coins of a predetermined total value has been deposited. If the switch associated with the coin accumulator is of a type which remains closed until mechanically opened, the holding circuit 9| of Figure 7 may be omitted and the coin control switch opened either directly or indirectly by the cam rib 91 after it leaves engagement with switch 9B.

Other variations in the design and arrangement of the control circuit may be indulged in without departing from the spirit of the invention.

An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the disk stacks are supported upon vertically movable platforms carried by springs 28, and the further fact that the disks are discharged from the top of each stack. By properly adjusting the strength of springs 28 to only slightly overcome the weight of the disk stack, it is possible to reduce to a minimum value the friction which resists discharge ofthe uppermost disk. Moreover, by properly calibrating the spring characteristics with respect to the weight and thickness of the disks, it is possible to maintain the compression force acting on the uppermost disk at a substantially constant value, regardless of the number of disks in the reservoir. The underside of each shelf 2| is preferably highly polished to reduce friction between the disks and the shelf to a minimum and thus prevent inward return movement of an ejected disk on return of the shelf to the position shown in Figure 2. The disks are preferably enclosed in Manila paper envelopes to protect them and to provide a greater coefficient of friction between adjacent disks than between the top disk and shelf 2|.

While only one form of the invention is illustrated and described, it is apparent that variations in the design and construction may be indulged in without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A coin controlled dispensing machine for fiat articles including a plurality of reservoirs,- each adapted to hold a stack of articles, an ejecting device for each reservoir for positively ejecting articles from said reservoir one at a time, a motor driven shaft mounted for rotation and axial reciprocation, means operatively associated with said shaft for establishing a, driving connection between said shaft and a different one of said ejecting devices for each of aplurality of axial positions of adjustment of said shaft, a selector for axially adjusting said shaft, and coin controlled means for energizing said motor to effect a rotation of said shaft and thereby operate one of said ejecting devices.

2. A coin controlled dispensing machine forv phonograph records including a housing, a plu- .rality of vertically spaced supports, each adapted to support a vertical 4stack of disk records, independent resilient means for urging each support upwardly, independent means engageable with the uppermost record in each stack for limiting upward movement of said supports and maintaining the uppermost record in each stack in a given plane, a horizontally movable ejector for each stack adapted to engage and eject the uppermost record, a vertical shaft, ejector operating cam means on said shaft, said last mentioned means being eiective on rotation of the shaft to operate one of said ejectors, means for adjusting the shaft axially to position said cam means in operative relation to any one of said electors, and power operated, coin controlled means for rotating said shaft.

3. A coin controlled dispensing machine for at relatively thin articles, including a housing, a plurality of vertically spaced supports each adapted to support a vertical stack of articles, a horizontally movable ejector for each stack adapted to engage an article in said stack and eject the same from said housing, a vertical shaft, ejector operating cam means on said shaft, said last-mentioned means being effective on rotation of the shaft to operate one of said ejectors, means for adjusting the shaft axially to position said cam means in operative relation to any one of said ejectors, and power operated coin controlled means for rotating said shaft.

GEORGE W. ZIEGLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 523,384 Tirrell et al July 24, 1894 538,173 Loewenbach et al. Apr. 23, 1895 1,009,265 Stern et al Nov. 21, 1911 1,083,608 Gatling Jan. 6, 1914 1,657,364 Bartlett Jan. 24, 1928 2,098,697 Vanderput Nov. 9, 1937 2,249,236 Tratsch Ju1y 15, 1941 2,348,927 Runsvold et al. May 16, 1944 2,392,511 Thompson et al. Jan. 8, 1946 2,423,621 Sabaitis July 8, 1947 2,427,628 Silverman Sept. 16, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 353,890 Great Britain July 21, 1931 354,418 Great Britain Aug. 13, 1931 

